On Sep. 10, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,466 issued for "Spark-Ignition Engine". The patent describes an internal combustion engine which does not require the use of conventional spark plugs. As described, the patented engine has a circuit module clamped in a gasket format between a cylinder assembly and a head assembly of the engine. The circuit module includes a substrate of electrically insulative material supporting a foil circuit for connecting electrode members to a pulser. The pulser generates intermittent high voltage signals which produce spark ignition of fuel in combustion chambers defined by cylinders in the cylinder assembly.
Over the past several years major development programs have expended millions of dollars in attempts to develop commercially feasible versions of the invention described in the above-described '466 patent, without success. Thus, while a multiple spark ignition gasket-like module for internal combustion engines which will eliminate the need for conventional spark plugs may be an interesting concept, to date it remains just that, an interesting concept.
Recently however, non-conductive internal combustion engine gasket materials have been developed by William A. Clarke, the inventor of the subject matter described in the present patent application. Such non-conductive gasket materials are described in Mr. Clarke's copending U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 08/962,782; 08/962,783 and 09/185,282 which are incorporated herein by this reference to form part of the detailed description of gasket materials and gaskets useful in the multiple spark ignition gasket of the present invention. Recently Mr. Clarke has discovered a circuit configuration and wiring methodology which in combination with his previously developed non-conductive gasket materials and gaskets, overcomes the problems which have heretofore precluded the development of a commercially feasible gasket-like multiple spark ignition system for internal combustion engines which eliminates the need for conventional spark plugs. The subject patent application describes and claims Mr. Clarke's discovery.